Fluid pump and enclosure providing stator holder and cooling for motor and electronics

Abstract

An enclosure for a fluid pump includes an outer shell defining an enclosure interior, a stator holder disposed in the enclosure interior and at least partially surrounding a motor stator of a motor, and conduits configured to direct air through the enclosure interior. The outer shell includes air inlets positioned to allow air to flow from an ambient space outside of the enclosure into the enclosure interior, and air outlets positioned to allow air to flow from the enclosure interior to the ambient space. The enclosure defines air flow paths running from at least some of the air inlets, to and through the air conduits, and from the air conduits to at least some of the air outlets, thereby cooling the motor during operation. Electronics may be positioned in the enclosure interior, which may also be cooled by the configuration of the enclosure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motor enclosure for housing a motor of a fluid pump, the motor enclosure comprising:
 an outer shell defining an enclosure interior and comprising a front side and a rear side, wherein the front side is removably attachable to a separate pump head enclosure for housing a pump head of the fluid pump, the rear side is axially opposite to the front side, the enclosure interior is axially between the front side and the rear side, and the outer shell is external to the pump head enclosure;   a stator holder disposed in the enclosure interior and configured to hold a motor stator, wherein the outer shell is configured to surround the motor stator, and the stator holder is monolithically adjoined to the outer shell as a single-piece construction;   an electronics assembly disposed in a portion of the enclosure interior axially between the stator holder and the rear side;   a cooling fan disposed in the portion of the enclosure interior axially between the stator holder and the rear side; and   a plurality of air conduits configured to direct air through the enclosure interior, wherein:   the outer shell comprises a plurality of air inlets positioned to allow air to flow from an ambient space outside of the motor enclosure directly into the enclosure interior in an unheated condition, and a plurality of air outlets positioned to allow air to flow from the enclosure interior to the ambient space;   the motor enclosure defines a plurality of air flow paths running from at least some of the air inlets, to and through the air conduits, and from the air conduits to at least some of the air outlets; and   one or more of the air flow paths are directed such that air in the one or more air flow paths contacts the electronics assembly to remove heat therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The motor enclosure of  claim 1 , comprising a motor, wherein the motor comprises the motor stator and a motor rotor. 
     
     
         3 . The motor enclosure of  claim 2 , wherein the motor stator at least partially surrounds the motor rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The motor enclosure of  claim 2 , wherein the motor stator and the motor rotor are separated by an annular gap, and the annular gap is configured to conduct air through the enclosure interior. 
     
     
         5 . The motor enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the stator holder is cylindrical. 
     
     
         6 . The motor enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer shell comprises a front wall and one or more side walls defining the enclosure interior, wherein the front wall is configured to attach the motor enclosure to the pump head and to separate the enclosure interior from the pump head, and the one or more side walls extend in an axial direction away from the front wall;   the outer shell and the stator holder are composed of a metal or metal alloy; and   the stator holder is monolithically adjoined to at least one of the front wall or the one or more side walls as the single-piece construction.   
     
     
         7 . The motor enclosure of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of cooling fins disposed in the enclosure interior and extending outwardly from the stator holder. 
     
     
         8 . The motor enclosure of  claim 1 , comprising a drive shaft, wherein the cooling fan is mounted to and rotated by the drive shaft. 
     
     
         9 . A fluid pump, comprising:
 the motor enclosure of  claim 1 ;   the pump head comprising a pump inlet, a pump outlet, and a movable pump element, wherein the pump head is configured to pump a fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet in response to movement of the movable pump element; and   a motor comprising a motor rotor and the motor stator, and configured to drive the movement of the movable pump element.   
     
     
         10 . The fluid pump of  claim 9 , comprising a drive shaft coupling the motor rotor to the movable pump element and rotatable about a drive axis, wherein the movable pump element comprises an orbiting pump element configured to move in an orbiting manner around the drive axis in response to rotation of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid pump of  claim 9 , comprising a drive shaft coupling the motor rotor to the movable pump element, wherein:
 the movable pump element comprises an orbiting scroll blade;   the pump head comprises a stationary scroll blade nested with the orbiting scroll blade; and   the orbiting scroll blade is configured to move in an orbiting manner relative to the stationary scroll blade in response to rotation of the drive shaft, to create at least one moving pocket between the orbiting scroll blade and the stationary scroll blade effective to pump fluid.   
     
     
         12 . The fluid pump of  claim 9 , comprising a drive shaft coupling the motor rotor to the movable pump element and rotatable about a drive axis, wherein the movable pump element comprises a pump rotor configured to rotate about the drive axis. 
     
     
         13 . A motor enclosure for housing a motor of a fluid pump, the motor enclosure comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a front wall, a rear wall axially opposite to the front wall, and one or more side walls extending in an axial direction between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein:
 the front wall, the rear wall, and the one or more side walls define an enclosure interior; 
 the front wall is configured to removably attach the motor enclosure to a pump head enclosure for housing a pump head of the fluid pump and to separate the enclosure interior from the pump head; 
   a stator holder configured to hold a motor stator, wherein the stator holder is disposed in the enclosure interior and surrounded by the one or more side walls, and the outer shell is configured to surround the motor stator;   an electronics assembly disposed in a portion of the enclosure interior axially between the stator holder and the rear wall;   a cooling fan disposed in the portion of the enclosure interior axially between the stator holder and the rear wall; and   a plurality of air conduits configured to direct air through the enclosure interior, wherein:   the outer shell and the stator holder are composed of a metal or a metal alloy;   the stator holder is monolithically adjoined to at least one of the front wall or the one or more side walls as a single-piece construction;   the outer shell comprises a plurality of air inlets positioned to allow air to flow from an ambient space outside of the motor enclosure directly into the enclosure interior in an unheated condition, and a plurality of air outlets positioned to allow air to flow from the enclosure interior to the ambient space;   the motor enclosure defines a plurality of air flow paths running from at least some of the air inlets, to and through the air conduits, and from the air conduits to at least some of the air outlets; and   one or more of the air flow paths are directed such that air in the one or more air flow paths contacts the electronics assembly to remove heat therefrom.   
     
     
         14 . A fluid pump, comprising:
 the motor enclosure of  claim 13 ;   the pump head disposed in the pump head enclosure and comprising a pump inlet, a pump outlet, and a movable pump element, wherein the pump head is configured to pump a fluid from the pump inlet to the pump outlet in response to movement of the movable pump element; and   a motor comprising a motor rotor and the motor stator, and configured to drive the movement of the movable pump element.   
     
     
         15 . The fluid pump of  claim 13 , wherein the rear wall is removably attached to the outer shell, and at least a portion of the electronics assembly is mounted to the rear wall.